Pakistan shifts to e-passports, costs rise for applicants

ISLAMABAD – Directorate General of Immigration and Passports has discontinued the issuance of machine-readable passports (MRPS), making e-passports mandatory across the country from today (16 October 2026).

The e-passport carries advance features while its fees are significantly higher than those previously charged for machine-readable passports.

The normal fee for a 36-page MRP valid for five years stood at Rs4,500 while it is Rs9,000 for e-passport.

Similarly, the fee for an urgent machine-readable passport was Rs7,500, but the fee for an e-passport will now be Rs15,000.

The fast-track fee for a machine-readable passport was Rs12,500, while the fee for an e-passport will now be Rs22,000.

The department has stated that machine-readable passports already issued to citizens will remain valid until their expiry dates. Existing passport holders will not need to replace their documents before they expire solely because of the new policy.

Record Number of Passports Issued in 2025

According to passport department sources, Pakistan issued a total of 5,572,130 passports in 2025, marking the highest annual issuance figure in the country’s history.

Of these, 3,275,263 were issued under the normal-fee category, while 1,839,487 were processed under the urgent category and 276,789 under the fast-track category. Approximately 180,000 e-passports were also issued.

The department issued 6,596,520 passports in 2024 and 6,717,938 in 2023. The figures indicate that around 13 million passports were issued over the two years, with annual issuance averaging approximately 6.7 million.

Why Pakistan Is Switching to E-Passports

The transition is part of a broader move towards modern passport technology, as many countries around the world have adopted electronic passports.

E-passports incorporate advanced technology and are intended to bring Pakistan’s passport system in line with international developments.

To support the project, the department has introduced 10 additional modern printing machines and six laminators. The existing service network reportedly includes round-the-clock services at 232 offices and 93 window counters abroad, operating to facilitate applicants.

Government Revenue from Passport Fees

The passport department has also reported substantial revenue from passport issuance.

In 2024, approximately Rs47.65 billion was collected in passport fees, according to the figures provided. Revenue in 2023 stood at around Rs50 billion.

For the 2023–24 and 2024–25 financial years, the reported average revenue was approximately Rs40 billion annually, representing an increase compared with previous years.